Popular In Furniture Makeovers

Everything In This Slideshow

Before: Drab Dresser

Here's the ho-hum dresser we started with: plain and devoid of personality. With a little creativity and elbow grease, we came up with three sassy ways to transform it from drab to fab.

2of 13

Warhol Wonder

We like the way a bold graphic treatment gives our dresser an urban edge. We chose an oversize Warhol poster, but any poster you adore will do. Or visit your local photocopy center to enlarge your favorite photo. Large patterns are simpler to match than busy patterns, especially on the drawer fronts. Keep clicking to see how we did it.

DIY Tip: Use a large-blade carpet knife to trim around the poster edges. Don't forget to stock up on extra razor blades so you always have a sharp edge for the cuts.

3of 13

Warhol Wonder: Materials and Steps 1-3

Step 2: Measure the width and height of the chest, including the legs. Trim the artwork to size, making sure the design falls where you want it to. Cut out the pieces that will go on the legs (you'll apply them separately).

Step 3: Remove the drawers. Adhere the artwork to the dresser front using spray adhesive. Press the artwork to the dresser, starting at one edge and working your way across the piece. Let dry.

4of 13

Warhol Wonder: Steps 4-5

Step 4: Trim the paper along the drawer openings. Spray the drawers with adhesive and apply the artwork to the drawer fronts.

Step 5: Trim and place the leg pieces onto the dresser. Use a nail to poke the knob holes through the paper and add decorative knobs.

5of 13

Leather Luxury

Inspired by some cool leather handles we found, we dressed up this dresser with a sleek brown finish and "stitching" drawn with a gold-leaf pen.

DIY Tips: 1. When drilling new holes for the pulls, hold the drill perpendicular to the surface so the screws go in straight. 2. For a scratch-resistant finish, apply two coats of clear polyurethane to the dresser. Sand lightly between coats.

6of 13

Leather Luxury: Materials and Steps 1-2

Step 2: Prime dresser and let dry. Paint satin-finish chocolate brown. (We took the leather pulls to the paint store and had sales associates create a custom color to match). Pull out the drawers and paint all the edges and sides.

7of 13

Leather Luxury: Step 3

Step 3: Add "stitches" by drawing dashed lines using a gold-leaf pen. Follow a ruler for straight lines. Repeat around the top and the drawers. Use a damp towel to clean up any mistakes.

8of 13

Leather Luxury: Step 4

Step 4: Secure pulls. Measure new holes for the drawer pulls and attach the hardware with a drill.

9of 13

Almost Antique

A few coats of dry-brushed paint and a set of antique-look handles give this dresser a much-loved look.

10of 13

Almost Antique: Materials

DIY Tips: 1. When using milk paint, plan to complete the project in one sitting. The paint dries quickly. 2. Use trim molding to give flat furniture dimension. To get a vintage feel, rub antiquing gel into the molding's edges and other heavy-use areas.

11of 13

Almost Antique: Steps 1-5

Step 1: Patch drawer holes by filling with Bondo adhesive.

Step 2: Paint the first coat: Prepare milk paint by adding water to the powder, following manufacturer's instructions. Dry brush onto dresser to create a scratchy crosshatch effect.